Lemru Elephant Corridor

Why in News?

The Union Coal Ministry recently clarified the circumstances surrounding the auction of the Tara Coal Block in Chhattisgarh. The block was initially offered under the 7th Tranche of commercial coal mine auctions in 2023, but was subsequently excluded following a request from the Government of Chhattisgarh to keep coal blocks in the Hasdeo Arand area out of commercial coal auctions.

About Tara Coal Block

Coal blocks in the Hasdeo Arand area that overlapped with the Lemru Elephant Corridor were not included in subsequent tranches of commercial coal mine auctions.

However, on 11 December 2025, the Government of Chhattisgarh requested the inclusion of the Tara Coal Block, stating that the block was outside the Lemru Elephant Corridor and could therefore be offered in the upcoming auction.

Based on this request, the Tara Coal Block was included in the 15th round of commercial coal mine auctions. The influence zone of the Lemru Elephant Corridor was removed from the area offered for auction, and the coal block was subsequently successfully auctioned.

The development highlights the importance of balancing coal-resource development with wildlife conservation and elephant-corridor protection, particularly in ecologically sensitive landscapes such as the Hasdeo Arand region.

Source: PIB

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